Colin Bloom
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Colin Bloom | |
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| Born | September 6, 1970 Central London UK |
| Nationality | British |
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Colin Bloom is a British government adviser, businessman and political and not-for-profit strategist.
Under Prime Minister David Cameron Bloom was appointed as the UK Conservative Party's International Director, a post which he held until 2017.[1] In 2019, Bloom was appointed to be the British Government's Faith Adviser[2] and tasked with leading a review into Government engagement with faith, people of faith and places of worship. It was the first of its kind, and the Bloom Review[3] was published in April 2023.
During the 2022 Conservative Party Leadership Elections he was one of the key advisers on the Liz Truss campaign, and he went on to serve as one of her senior political advisers in No10 Downing Street when she was Prime Minister.
A regular lecturer and speaker on international affairs[4], he has served on the Executive Boards of the International Democrat Union (IDU) and the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ACRE). Amongst other responsibilities, Bloom is an Associate at the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in London.
Early life & career
Bloom was born on September 6, 1970 in Central London UK. His father was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and his grandfather George (Crom) Bloom was born in Yingkou, China. He was educated in Kent, United Kingdom, and despite his father’s Jewish heritage and his mother’s Christian heritage his early life was agnostic. In his late teens Bloom became a Christian.
He ran for British Parliament twice as a Conservative candidate in Labour strongholds, in 2005 in Halton[5] and in 2010 in Erith & Thamesmead.[6] Between 2002 and 2010 Bloom was a Local Authority Councillor[7] and Cabinet Member in South-East London.
In 2010 he succeeded Baroness Berridge in becoming the Executive Director of the Conservative Christian Fellowship.[8] In 2015 under the then Party Chairman Lord Feldman, Bloom was appointed as the Conservative Party’s Director of Outreach and International Director.[9] In that role he served on the Executive Boards of the International Democrat Union (IDU) and the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ACRE).
During the 2022 Conservative Party Leadership Elections he was one of the key advisers on the successful Liz Truss campaign. Working closely with Mark Fullbrook, Downing Street’s Chief of Staff, Wendy Morton, the Chief Whip and Jake Berry the Conservative Party Chairman, Bloom went on to serve as one of Liz Truss’s senior political advisers in No10 Downing Street.
The bloom review
In 2019, Bloom was appointed to be the British Government's Faith Adviser[2] and tasked with leading a review into Government engagement with faith, people of faith and places of worship. It was the first of its kind, and the Bloom Review[3] was published in April 2023.
In one of the largest responses to the official call for evidence,[10] the review got more than 21,000 individual responses and processed more than 1 million bits of data. The final edition was more than 65,000 words and made 22 recommendations on issues such as forced and coercive marriage[11], faith literacy amongst public servants and faith-based extremism.[12]
Review response
The Bloom Review received a range of responses and prompted several debates, regarding the relationship between faith and the state[13] [14], the gap in faith literacy across government[15], and intra-faith issues which Government should address more effectively.[16] These included responses from Christians [17] [18], Jews[19], Sikhs[20], Hindus[21] and Humanists[22], regarding the implementation of Bloom's 22 recommendations.
Political Views
In Bloom's work on the relationship between faith and the state, he considers the freedom of conscience as essential to the health of democratic society.[3] Bloom is politically conservative, his view of democracy and free society includes the belief that everyone has the right to speak, defend and promote what they want, in a non-coercive and non-violent way, allowing others to freely practice their beliefs. Bloom's view of government regards governing institutions as responsible for protecting the liberty of the individual, and intervening where ideological, cultural or religious trends undermine it[3].
Bloom has advocated for the preservation of established traditions and institutions. In a 2015 Cambridge Union debate, alongside Stephen Fry, Bloom opposed the motion to disestablish the Church of England. Bloom contended that attempts to disestablish the church reflect a revolutionary republicanism seeking to secularise institutions and remove Christian symbolism from British national identity. In the same debate, Bloom also argued the plurality of faiths practiced in British society is a product of Britain's identify as a Christian country, which supports the right of the individual to freely practice their faith, regardless of their religion.[23]
In an interview in October 2023 with Asian News International, he suggested the Western world should address the issue of Khalistan extremism and improve efforts to protect British Sikhs who want no involvement with extremism.[24] In his report he warned that Khalistan groups aim to inflate their influence by lobbying under the guide of human rights activism, and thus present a false appearence of legitimacy.[24]
In an interview in October 2023, Bloom raised the issue of the Western world's dependence on China for rare-earth minerals.[25]
Personal life
Bloom is a non-denominational Christian.[citation needed]
He is Chairman of vetting.com, an international background screening and security company.[citation needed]
References
- ↑ Carey, Lodge (22 May 2015). "The Church and the future of politics". Christian Today. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/faith-engagement-adviser-appointed
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "The Bloom Review – Does government 'do God?' – An independent review into how government engages with faith", publishing.service.gov.uk.
- ↑ "Regent University's Executive Leadership Series Features Colin Bloom". Regent University. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ↑ "Election 2005, Halton". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- ↑ "2010 Erith & Thamesmead Election Results". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- ↑ "Councillor details - Councillor Colin Bloom". Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ↑ Goodman, Paul. "Christian Fellowship appoints new Director". Conservative Home Gazette. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ↑ Wallace, Mark (23 June 2015). "CCHQ's inner workings revealed". Conservative Home. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/independent-faith-engagement-review-call-for-evidence
- ↑ Stacey, Kiran (29 March 2023). "Ministers urged to be more aggressive in tackling issues within religious groups". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ↑ Stacey, Kiran (29 March 2023). "What is Colin Bloom's review of faith in modern Britain?". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ↑ Christopher, Lamb (27 November 2020). "Government tries to reset relationship between state and faith". Religion Media Centre. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ↑ Paul, Stott. "No, the government should not 'do God'". Spiked. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ↑ Farron, TIm. "Colin Bloom: Does current government do God?". A Mucky Business with Tim Farron. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ↑ Sima, Kotecha. "BBC News Night Report on the Bloom Review". Twitter. BBC. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ↑ Brown, Rev Dr Malcolm. "Bloom Review - Church of England comment". Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ↑ Danny, Webster. "Was the Bloom review worth waiting for? The jury's out". Premier Christianity. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ↑ Yehudis, Fletcher. "Does the Bloom Review into faith go far enough?". Jewish News. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ↑ Singh, Jasveer. "The Bloom Review Fails On Sikhs". Bazz. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ↑ "Hindu Council UK response to the Bloom review: 'Does Government do God'". Hindu Council UK. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ↑ "Major Government report calls for more religion in the state". Humanists UK. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ↑ "This House Would Disestablish the Church of England | The Cambridge Union". YouTube. Cambridge Union. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Asian News International. "'Britain, Canada Should Take...': UK Faith Adviser On Khalistani Issue", NDTV, 1 October 2023.
- ↑ "Truss Advisor: 'We Squandered a Huge Opportunity'" (at 1h7m50s), Triggernometry, 11 October 2023.
External links
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